How to calculate the lighting of a room?
The management of light within a venue does not only have a function aimed at simple room lighting, but on the contrary it is the basis of business strategies that can increase customers’ profit and desire to spend.
Good lighting design must start with proper management of lighting points within spaces, leading to a balance of lighting that is congenial to the type of store or room.
Let’s see how to calculate the lighting of a room correctly.
How to calculate the lighting of a room?
To calculate the lighting of a room, first of all we need to start with the units of measurement. Lumens are the amount of light produced by a light source, and a good LED lamp can produce 60 to 90 lumens per watt of power, depending on the type of product.
LED lighting for stores and premises is the most recommended, both because of the low consumption and the long life of the bulbs.
A commercial office requires 400 lumens per square meter of floor area, a number that can be applied to any business with appropriate adjustments.
Accordingly, assuming we have a bulb capable of producing 80 lumens per watt, 10 5-watt bulbs will be needed to light a ten-square-meter room effectively.
To these rather mild numbers must be added other more subjective factors that cannot be calculated numerically but are based on practical considerations.
Having completely white walls and little furniture will make the room much brighter, effectively reflecting the light produced.
At the same time, clothing stores and commercial premises almost always need much more light to better present their products to the public and entice customers to buy.
All these calculations to be correct require lighting design by a professional, taking into account all the points of the room, the budget and the desired result.
Calculate the lighting of premises and restaurants
Nightclubs, discos, and restaurants, on the other hand, require more detailed reasoning for lighting calculations.
Restaurant lighting varies greatly according to the type of atmosphere sought, finding a compromise with lighting functionality as well.
A romantic and intimate restaurant will look for soft, low-key lighting, but without being dark and affecting the taste experience of the meal and leading to communication problems for the people seated at the table.
Other restaurants, on the other hand, make very bright and intense lighting a focal point, creating a more vivid environment with plenty of light spots scattered around the room, including chandeliers, spotlights, and lights above each table.
Both restaurant lighting choices have commercial value and can be considered depending on the type of service and cuisine.
A nightclub, on the other hand, will prefer more modest lighting, with generally less than 200 lumens per square meter and less diffuse light.
This means that there will be light points scattered around the room, also to help staff work efficiently. In these areas, it is then important to add small details such as table lamps, small soft lights, and other lighting elements of a venue designed to create a more intimate and cozy atmosphere, ideal for a night out.
